The Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills ecoregion is a Level III ecoregion designated by the

United States Environmental Protection Agency The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it be ...

(EPA) in the

U.S. states In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

, Washington, and California. In the

rain shadow A rain shadow is an area of significantly reduced rainfall behind a mountainous region, on the side facing away from prevailing winds, known as its leeward side. Evaporated moisture from water bodies (such as oceans and large lakes) is carrie ...

of the

Cascade Range The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, ...

, the eastern side of the mountains experiences greater temperature extremes and receives less precipitation than the west side. Open forests of ponderosa pine and some lodgepole pine distinguish this region from the Cascades ecoregion, where hemlock and

fir Firs (''Abies'') are a genus of 48–56 species of evergreen coniferous trees in the family (biology), family Pinaceae. They are found on mountains throughout much of North America, North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The ...

forests are more common, and from the lower, drier ecoregions to the east, where

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

s and grasslands are predominant. The vegetation is adapted to the prevailing dry,

continental climate Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in the middle latitudes (40 to 55 north), within large landmasses where prevailing winds blow overland bringing som ...

and frequent wildfire. Volcanic cones and buttes are common in much of the region. The Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills ecoregion has been subdivided into ten Level IV ecoregions, as described below. Level IV mapping is not yet complete in California, and the information below includes only the sections in Washington and Oregon.

Level IV ecoregions

Yakima Plateau and Slopes (9a)

The high, unglaciated Yakima Plateau and Slopes ecoregion is characterized by plateaus, buttes, and

canyon A canyon (from ; archaic British English spelling: ''cañon''), or gorge, is a deep cleft between escarpments or cliffs resulting from weathering and the erosion, erosive activity of a river over geologic time scales. Rivers have a natural tenden ...

s, with medium to high gradient permanent and intermittent

stream A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream ...

s and rivers on a surface of basalt. Natural

springs Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a he ...

occur, especially in the south. Elevation varies from . The dry continental climate supports open woodlands dominated by ponderosa pine and

bitterbrush ''Purshia'' (bitterbrush or cliff-rose) is a small genus of 5–8 species of flowering plants in the family Rosaceae which are native to western North America. Description ''Purshia'' species form deciduous or evergreen shrubs, typically reach ...

, with some Douglas-fir and Oregon white oak. Fire is an integral part of the ecosystem. The region covers in Washington, mainly on land belonging to the Yakama Nation.

Grand Fir Mixed Forest (9b)

The Grand Fir Mixed Forest ecoregion is characterized by high, glaciated plateaus, mountains, and canyons containing high gradient streams and rivers. Scattered lakes occur in glacial rock basins. Elevation varies from . The frigid soils and snowy, continental climate support a mix of grand fir and Douglas-fir, with some ponderosa pine and western larch. Plants in the understory include

vine maple ''Acer circinatum'', the vine maple, is a species of maple native to western North America. Description It most commonly grows as a large shrub growing to around tall, but it will occasionally form a small to medium-sized tree, exceptionall ...

hazel The hazel (''Corylus'') is a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K. (1999). ...

, snowberry, and

oceanspray ''Holodiscus discolor'', commonly known as ocean spray or oceanspray, creambush, or ironwood, is a shrub of western North America. Description ''Holodiscus discolor'' is a fast-growing deciduous shrub usually from to in height, and up to ta ...

. The region covers in Washington and in Oregon, on the eastern slopes of

Mount Rainier Mount Rainier (), indigenously known as Tahoma, Tacoma, Tacobet, or təqʷubəʔ, is a large active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest, located in Mount Rainier National Park about south-southeast of Seattle. With a s ...

, Mount Adams, and

Mount Hood Mount Hood is a potentially active stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc. It was formed by a subduction zone on the Pacific coast and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located about east-southeast of Portlan ...

, and on Black Butte. It contains land belonging to the Yakama Nation and public land within the Wenatchee, Gifford Pinchot, Deschutes, and

Mount Hood National Forest The Mount Hood National Forest is a U.S. National Forest in the U.S. state of Oregon, located east of the city of Portland and the northern Willamette River valley. The Forest extends south from the Columbia River Gorge across more than of ...

s (including the

Badger Creek Wilderness The Badger Creek Wilderness is a wilderness area located east of Mount Hood in the northwestern Cascades of Oregon, United States. It is one of six designated wilderness areas in the Mount Hood National Forest, the others being Mark O. Hatfield, ...

Oak/Conifer Foothills (9c)

The Oak/Conifer Foothills ecoregion is lower and drier than the Grand Fir Mixed Forest and more

diverse Diversity, diversify, or diverse may refer to: Business *Diversity (business), the inclusion of people of different identities (ethnicity, gender, age) in the workforce * Diversity marketing, marketing communication targeting diverse customers ...

than other parts of the Eastern Cascades. It consists of foothills, low mountains, plateaus, and valleys from . Marine weather enters the region via the Columbia River Gorge, moderating the otherwise continental climate. As a result, soil, climate, and vegetation share characteristics of both eastern and western Oregon. The region is characterized by Oregon white oak woodlands and ponderosa pine forests in the east and Douglas-fir and western hemlock forests in the west. Some grasslands also occur. Understory plants include Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass,

antelope bitterbrush ''Purshia tridentata'', with the common name bitterbrush, is a shrub in the genus ''Purshia'' of the family Rosaceae. It is native to mountainous areas of western North America. Common names include antelope bitterbrush, antelope bush, buckbrus ...

, Oregon grape, hazel, and snowberry. Common land uses include forestry,

recreation Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasur ...

, grazing, rural residential development, orchards, and, in the valleys, grain and hay farming. The land is mostly privately owned. The region covers in Washington and in Oregon along the

Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, C ...

corridor, including the lower reaches of the White Salmon and Klickitat River drainages.

Ponderosa Pine/Bitterbrush Woodland (9d)

The Ponderosa Pine/Bitterbrush Woodland ecoregion has a terrain dominated by high, undulating volcanic plateaus and canyons, with permanent, medium gradient streams. Elevation varies from . Stream flow is consistent year-round, due to the volcanic hydrogeology. The well-drained, frigid soils are derived from Mazama Ash, which was produced by the catastrophic eruption of Mount Mazama about 6,845 years ago, and support nearly homogenous stands of ponderosa pine. Historically, frequent fires burned undergrowth, creating open groves of pines. Lodgepole pine is largely absent here. Understory vegetation varies with elevation; at lower elevations, antelope bitterbrush is important winter browse for deer. At higher elevations,

greenleaf manzanita ''Arctostaphylos patula'' is a species of manzanita known by the common name greenleaf manzanita. This manzanita is native to western North America where it grows in coniferous forests at moderate to high elevations. Distribution The distribu ...

and snowberry are found.

Riparian areas A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the terrestrial biomes of the Earth. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks a ...

support mountain alder,

stream dogwood ''Cornus sericea'', the red osier or red-osier dogwood, is a species of flowering plant in the family Cornaceae, native to much of North America. It has sometimes been considered a synonym of the Asian species ''Cornus alba''. Other names includ ...

, willows, and sedges. The region covers in Oregon, east of Mount Jefferson, Three Fingered Jack, and the Three Sisters, in the Deschutes National Forest and on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.

Pumice Plateau (9e)

The Pumice Plateau ecoregion is a high volcanic plateau, characteristically covered by thick deposits of Mount Mazama ash and pumice. Elevation varies from . Residual soils are very deep, highly permeable, and subject to drought, with intermittent, low to medium gradient streams and spring-fed creeks and marshes. Freezing temperatures are possible any time of year. Ponderosa pine forests are common on slopes, with white fir at higher elevations. Colder depressions and flats, where pumice deposits are thickest, are dominated by lodgepole pine, with an understory of antelope bitterbrush and Idaho fescue. Riparian areas support mountain alder, stream dogwood, willows, and quaking aspen. The Pumice Plateau is the largest of the Eastern Cascades subregions, covering in Oregon between Bend and Klamath Falls. It contains extensive areas within the Deschutes and Fremont-Winema National Forests (including the Gearhart Mountain Wilderness) and the lower elevations of the

Newberry National Volcanic Monument Newberry National Volcanic Monument was designated on November 5, 1990, to protect the area around the Newberry Volcano in the U.S. state of Oregon. The monument was created within the boundaries of the Deschutes National Forest, which is managed ...

Cold Wet Pumice Plateau Basins (9f)

The Cold Wet Pumice Plateau Basins ecoregion includes Sycan Marsh,

Klamath Marsh Klamath may refer to: Ethnic groups * Klamath people, a Native American people of California and Oregon **Klamath Tribes, a federally recognized group of tribes in Oregon * Klamath language, spoken by the Klamath people Places in the United States ...

, and

La Pine Basin LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...

, which are surrounded by the Pumice Plateau but have distinct vegetation and topography. At an elevation of , they function as cold air catch-basins during the winter, which results in lower minimum temperatures. Soils in the basins have water tables at or near the surface for significant periods of the year, in contrast to the soils of the Pumice Plateau. The La Pine Basin is underlain by thick lacustrine deposits that exhibit high groundwater levels during the spring snowmelt. It supports lodgepole pine stands, as well as wet, forested wetlands of lodgepole pine, willow, and aspen. Scattered ponderosa pine shrub forest is found on the driest soils. The Sycan and Klamath marshes support wetland meadow vegetation, including tules and

tufted hairgrass ''Deschampsia cespitosa'', commonly known as tufted hairgrass or tussock grass, is a perennial tufted plant in the grass family Poaceae. Distribution of this species is widespread including the eastern and western coasts of North America, parts o ...

. Marshes, lakes, reservoirs, wetland forests, and medium and low gradient rivers provide important habitat for migratory waterfowl. The region covers in Oregon, a mixture of private and public lands, including the Deschutes and Fremont-Winema National Forests and the

Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1958 as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other management purpose, for migratory birds. The refuge primarily consists of 40,000 acres. Originally designated as Klamath Forest National W ...

Klamath/Goose Lake Warm Wet Basins (9g)

The Klamath/Goose Lake Warm Wet Basins ecoregion (named for Upper Klamath and Goose lakes) is drier than elsewhere in the eastern Cascades, yet it contains floodplains, terraces, and a pluvial lake basin. Elevation varies from . A variety of

wildrye Wild rye is a common name used for several grasses. Wild ryes belong to any of three genera: * '' Elymus'' (wheatgrasses) * '' Leymus'' * ''Psathyrostachys ''Psathyrostachys'' is a genus of Eurasian plants in the grass family Poaceae () o ...

, bluegrass, and wheatgrass species once covered the basins, but most of the wet meadows and wetlands have been drained for rural residential development, pasture, and cropland, including

alfalfa Alfalfa () (''Medicago sativa''), also called lucerne, is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is cultivated as an important forage crop in many countries around the world. It is used for grazing, hay, and silage, as w ...

potatoes The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Wild potato species can be found from the southern United ...

, and small grains. Potential vegetation includes bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, antelope bitterbrush,

big sagebrush ''Artemisia tridentata'', commonly called big sagebrush,MacKay, Pam (2013), ''Mojave Desert Wildflowers'', 2nd ed., , p. 264. Great Basin sagebrush or (locally) simply sagebrush, is an aromatic shrub from the family Asteraceae, which grows in ari ...

, and low sagebrush on the steppes, with tules, cattails, and sedges in the wetlands. Several marshland wildlife refuges within the

Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges Complex The Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex is a wildlife preserve operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in the Klamath Basin of southern Oregon and northern California near Klamath Falls, Oregon. It consists of Bear Val ...

are key to preserving regional biodiversity, particularly at-risk bird and fish species. The region covers in

Klamath Klamath may refer to: Ethnic groups *Klamath people, a Native American people of California and Oregon **Klamath Tribes, a federally recognized group of tribes in Oregon *Klamath language, spoken by the Klamath people Places in the United States * ...

and Lake counties, Oregon. Contiguous areas in California have not been mapped yet.

Fremont Pine/Fir Forest (9h)

The Fremont Pine/Fir Forest ecoregion contains steeply to moderately sloping mountains and high plateaus that rarely exceed timberline. Elevation varies from . Residual soils are common in the region, in contrast to the Pumice Plateau, where soils have been deeply buried by pumice and ash. Reservoirs, a few glacial rock-basin lakes, many springs, and high gradient intermittent and ephemeral streams occur. The continental climate and diverse terrain support a range of vegetation types. Ponderosa pine and western juniper woodlands are common at lower elevations. White fir,

sugar pine ''Pinus lambertiana'' (commonly known as the sugar pine or sugar cone pine) is the tallest and most massive pine tree, and has the longest cones of any conifer. The species name ''lambertiana'' was given by the Scottish botanist David Douglas, ...

, whitebark pine, lodgepole pine, and

California incense-cedar ''Calocedrus decurrens'', with the common names incense cedar and California incense-cedar (syn. ''Libocedrus decurrens'' Torr.), is a species of coniferous tree native to western North America. It is the most widely known species in the genus, ...

are found on north slopes and at higher elevations. Understory plants include snowberry,

heartleaf arnica ''Arnica cordifolia'' is a species of arnica in the sunflower family, known by the common name heartleaf arnica. It is native to western North America. Description This is a rhizomatous perennial herb producing one or more erect stems reaching ...

Wheeler bluegrass ''Poa'' is a genus of about 570 species of grasses, native to the temperate regions of both hemispheres. Common names include meadow-grass (mainly in Europe and Asia), bluegrass (mainly in North America), tussock (some New Zealand species), a ...

, antelope bitterbrush, and

longstolon sedge ''Carex inops'' is a species of sedge known as long-stolon sedge and western oak sedge. It is native to northern North America, where it occurs throughout the southern half of Canada and the western and central United States. There are two subsp ...

. The region covers in Oregon, mainly on public land within the Fremont-Winema National Forest. Contiguous areas in California have not been mapped yet.

Southern Cascades Slope (9i)

The Southern Cascades Slope ecoregion is a transitional zone between the Cascades ecoregion and the drier Eastern Cascade Slopes and Foothills, characterized by moderately sloping mountains with medium to high gradient streams. Elevation varies from . It is higher than other subregions in the Eastern Cascades and typically receives greater precipitation. Forests of ponderosa pine blanket the mountainous landscape; white fir, Shasta red fir, Douglas-fir, and incense cedar grow at higher elevations. Understory plants include Idaho fescue, antelope bitterbrush,

Ross' sedge ''Carex rossii'', commonly known as Ross's sedge, is a hardy species of sedge that is often a pioneer species in areas with little or no established vegetation, or in places where disturbance has occurred. Ross's sedge grows in a variety of habit ...

western fescue ''Festuca occidentalis'' is a species of grass known as western fescue. It is native to much of the northern half of North America and is most widely distributed in the west. It is most often found in forest and woodland habitat. The specific epi ...

, snowberry, and golden chinkapin. The region covers in Oregon, south of

Aspen Butte Aspen Butte is a steep-sided shield volcano in the Cascade Range of southern Oregon. It is located south of Pelican Butte and southeast of Mount McLoughlin. It rises over above the nearby shore of Upper Klamath Lake. Ice Age glaciers ca ...

in the Klamath River watershed, including Bear Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Contiguous areas in California have not been mapped yet.

Klamath Juniper Woodland (9j)

The Klamath Juniper Woodland ecoregion is composed of undulating hills, benches, and escarpments covered with a mosaic of rangeland and woodland, at an elevation of . Mean annual precipitation ranges from per year. Western juniper grows on shallow, rocky soils with an understory of low sagebrush, Wyoming big sagebrush, bitterbrush, and bunchgrasses. Several species found in the shrub-steppe grasslands are uncommon in eastern Oregon, such as

woolly wyethia ''Wyethia mollis'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name woolly mule's ears. The plant is hairy to woolly in texture, sometimes losing its hairs with age. ''Wyethia mollis'' is a coarse perennial herbW ...

Klamath plum ''Prunus subcordata'', known by the common names Klamath plum, Oregon plum, Pacific plum and Sierra plum, is a member of the genus ''Prunus'', native to the western United States, especially California and Oregon. Description ''Prunus subcordata ...

, and

birchleaf mountain-mahogany ''Cercocarpus betuloides'' is a shrub or small tree in the rose family.Flowering Plants of the Santa Monica Mountains, Nancy Dale,2nd Ed, 2000, p. 170 Its common names include mountain mahogany and birch leaf mountain mahogany The common name " ...

. The diverse shrublands provide important wildlife habitat. Reservoirs dot the landscape and are important to lowland irrigation. The region covers in Oregon, south of Klamath Falls in the Lost River watershed, a mixture of public and private land. Contiguous areas in California have not been mapped yet.

Gallery

Flora

Image:Pinus contorta 8401.jpg, Lodgepole pine, subspecies known as Tamarack pine Image:Pinus ponderosa 8124.jpg, Ponderosa pine in the Klamath Marsh NWR Image:Sugarpine.jpg,

Sugar pine ''Pinus lambertiana'' (commonly known as the sugar pine or sugar cone pine) is the tallest and most massive pine tree, and has the longest cones of any conifer. The species name ''lambertiana'' was given by the Scottish botanist David Douglas, ...

Image:Calocedrus decurrens 01 by Line1.jpg,

Image:Sagebrush with shattered trunk.jpg,

Big sagebrush ''Artemisia tridentata'', commonly called big sagebrush,MacKay, Pam (2013), ''Mojave Desert Wildflowers'', 2nd ed., , p. 264. Great Basin sagebrush or (locally) simply sagebrush, is an aromatic shrub from the family Asteraceae, which grows in ari ...

Image:Juniper.jpg, Western juniper berries Image:Symphoricarpos albus1 ies.jpg,

Common snowberry ''Symphoricarpos albus'' is a species of flowering plant in the honeysuckle family known by the common name common snowberry. Native to North America, it is browsed by some animals and planted for ornamental and ecological purposes, but is poison ...

Image:Prunus subcordata 2.jpg,

Fauna

Image:Limnodromus scolopaceus, California.jpg, Long-billed dowitcher in the Klamath Basin NWR Image:Antilocapra americana.jpg, Pronghorn on the Pumice Plateau Image:Columbiaspottedfrog.jpg, Oregon spotted frog, an endangered species candidate Image:Red Crossbills (Male).jpg,

Red crossbill The red crossbill or common crossbill (''Loxia curvirostra'') is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. Crossbills have distinctive mandibles, crossed at the tips, which enable them to extract seeds from conifer cones and other ...

s in Deschutes National Forest

Landscapes

Image:Mt Jefferson burn.jpg, Lodgepole pine after wildfire in the Deschutes National Forest Image:LowerKlamathNWR 8199t.jpg, Freshwater marsh in the Lower Klamath NWR Image:Canoe trail 8176.jpg, Canoe trail in the Upper Klamath NWR

References

{{Ecoregions in the United States Temperate coniferous forests of the United States Ecoregions of the United States *East Plant communities of the Western United States . * * Forests of California Forests of Oregon Forests of Washington (state) Nearctic ecoregions Ecoregions of Oregon